A Cry For Help
by AquarianAir
Summary: Set after 4x17. Blair gets engaged to Louis but it isn't the happily ever after she thought she would get. When things start to go wrong, she begins to self-destruct. Will Chuck step in and save her?
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Hey everyone, this is my first fanfic ever. I'm really excited but also very nervous. I usually just read so this is new for me. I was struck with inspiration and just had to get this out of my head. I wanted to write this because I feel like Blair's bulimia is such a major part of her character and I hate that the show only barely grazed the surface in 1x09. I also feel like Blair is always saving Chuck and being the strong one and I think it is time for Chuck to take on that role. I don't hate Louis, I actually think he is a really nice guy. He just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. So anyway, please review and let me know what you think.

* * *

_They call her for dinner, she makes up a reason_

_She looks at her arms and she rolls down her sleeves_

She's Falling Apart - Lisa Loeb

* * *

Blair stood up slowly and flushed the toilet. She averted her gaze from the contents swirling down the porcelain bowl that was at the same time both her best friend and her worst enemy. Instead, she gazed at herself in the full-length mirror. She was disgusted at what she saw. Her body was clad only in a lacy black bra and matching underwear. Her hands smoothed over the flat planes of her stomach and settled at her hips. The bones there jutted out sharply against her palms. She knew she was skinnier than she'd ever been. When she looked in the mirror though, she still saw hips that were too wide and breasts that were too small. But what disturbed her more than the shape of her body, was the bruises that littered her pale skin. They covered her body from shoulder to mid-thigh. Except for the first time, he didn't hit her in places she couldn't easily cover up. She was oddly grateful for that, because it allowed her to go on pretending she was living a fairytale. The dark purple bruises contrasted starkly with her white skin. They were all different shapes and sizes. The older ones were turning yellow and slowly starting to fade away. The bruises on her arms were in the shape of large hands. She stood there staring at herself in the mirror for a long time before she realized she had to leave in an hour to meet Serena before class. She quickly brushed her teeth. As she left the bathroom, she grabbed the ring off the counter and slipped it back on her finger. The large diamond sparkled up at her mockingly. The ring belonged to a princess and princesses didn't do what Blair Waldorf had just done.

* * *

Chuck Bass sat alone in his room at the Empire. It wasn't quite 1:00 in the afternoon yet but he was already sipping from a glass of scotch. He pulled out his phone and looked once again at the latest Gossip Girl blast. There was a picture of Blair and Louis from earlier that morning. They were walking hand in hand. Blair's left hand was covering her mouth in an attempt to hold back her laughter. Chuck's eyes zeroed in on her ring finger. _His_ ring should have been there instead of the overly large, showy diamond that Louis had given her. She would have liked his ring more. He was Chuck Bass and he knew her way better than some simpering, foolish prince.

_"That's not true! You are sacred to me!"_ He never should have said those words. They had driven Blair straight into the arms of Dan Humphrey. But at the time, he had no idea that she was there, listening to him; and he had been desperate to save his father's company. The father that had lied to him until the day he died. Twice now, he had put Bass Industries above Blair. And both times, he ended up miserable and alone. You would think he would've learned his lesson the first time around.

Suddenly, Nate burst through the door. He was sporting a grin so large that Chuck had a sudden urge to punch him. Instead, he asked, "How's Raina?"

"She's great, man! We went to this awesome-"

"Yeah, yeah. That's nice, Nathaniel" Chuck snapped.

"Hey man, you asked."

"That doesn't mean I care."

Nate shot Chuck a reproachful glare and left him to wallow in his despair alone.

* * *

Serena was babbling on about her mother's trial, as usual, and Blair had stopped paying attention ten minutes ago. She was too preoccupied with thoughts of Louis to worry about Lily. That morning he had taken her out for breakfast. Everything had been going great. They enjoyed eating breakfast together and he was walking her back to her penthouse. Then everything had gone wrong. They had been strolling along, talking and laughing, when they bumped into Cameron. Blair had gone out with Cameron a few times the before when she was trying to get over Chuck. He was a nice guy, but she never even came close to falling in love with him. He stopped to chat with her and when she introduced him to Louis he had looked angry. He was polite but cold and condescending. And when Cameron had asked after Chuck, she was shocked at the anger that had flashed across Louis' face. After they had left Cameron, they had walked the rest of the way to Blair's penthouse in silence. When they had gotten there, Louis had said, "I'll see you tonight." in a dark tone and had kissed her possessively. Blair had gone straight to her bathroom to alleviate her stress in the only way she knew how.

Blair broke out of her thoughts to find Serena staring at her in concern.

"What?" she asked.

"Blair, you look like you're about to be sick. What's going on?"

"Nothing. I'm fine," Blair lied smoothly.

Serena looked like she was going to press the matter, so Blair stood up to leave.

"I have to go get ready for my night with Louis."

"Alright, well if you need to talk, call me."

Blair nodded and walked quickly away.

* * *

It was now approaching 6 p.m. and Chuck was still brooding. In a scotch induced haze he thought back to the night he truly lost Blair Waldorf.

_"I have to find her." Chuck hurried away from the bar with Serena on his heels. _

_"I'll come with you," she called after him. _

_He stumbled out of the hotel and into his waiting limo with Serena right behind him. Chuck didn't say anything to Serena on the drive to Blair's penthouse. His mind was focused solely on Blair: her smile, her body, her laugh, the feel of her hair against his bare skin, her deep brown eyes. He loved her. He wasn't going to wait any longer for her to make a name for herself. They would be together. _

_He and Serena walked into Blair's building just as just as Dan Humphrey was getting off the elevator looking disheveled and reeking of Blair's favorite perfume._

_"Dan, what are you doing here?" asked Serena. _

_"Yes, Humphrey, do tell...and while you're at it, perhaps you'd also like to let us know when you started wearing perfume," sneered Chuck._

_"Oh…umm…I…well…I have to go," Dan stuttered and practically ran out of the building. _

_"That was weird," commented Serena. _

_"I need to talk to Blair," said Chuck, ignoring her._

_As soon as they stepped out of the elevator Dorota was upon them._

_"No visitors. Miss Blair asleep," said Dorota sternly. _

_"Dorota," Chuck drawled, "what was Humphrey doing here?"_

_Dorota looked around nervously before leaning in and whispering to Chuck and Serena conspiratorially, "Miss Blair and Lonely Boy are having affair."_

_Serena gasped loudly. Chuck just turned and walked straight back to the elevator. The whole time he had been contemplating his love for Blair, she had been screwing that piece of Brooklyn trash? That was fine. He didn't need her anyway._

Of course, now, Chuck realized just how foolish he had been to think he didn't need Blair Waldorf. He would always need her, in the same way he needed oxygen. He couldn't survive without either.

* * *

Blair was nervously awaiting the arrival of Louis. It was 7:56 and he was picking her up at 8:00. She checked and rechecked her appearance in the mirror in her bedroom to make sure there were no hairs out of place or buttons left unbuttoned. But she didn't need to worry. She looked pristine and perfect as always. She was dressed extra nicely tonight in an attempt to alleviate some of Louis' anger. She was even wearing the diamond earrings he had given her on their one-month anniversary.

She glanced at the clock again, 7:59. She started making her way down the stairs just as the elevator doors opened and out stepped her very own prince.

* * *

A/N: Thanks for reading! Love it? Hate it? Questions or comments? Please review.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Alright guys, here's Chapter 2. Hope you like it.

Thank you to **QueenBee10**, **Chemromance98**, **ilovecujo1993**, **TriGemini**, **Tiff xoxo**, and **ellibells** for your reviews. They really motivated me. I never really understood why authors make such a big deal about getting reviews, but now I totally get it. It's exciting and motivating to know that they there are people out there who actually read your story and cared enough to leave a review. So please, please, please leave more reviews this chapter.

The song I chose for this chapter is actually a Christian Rock song (normally not my thing, but there are a few good ones out there).It doesn't really have anything to do with this story(unless Blair were to have a conversion experience) if you listen to the whole thing. But I thought that the second verse and part of the chorus (below) really went perfectly with Blair's storyline.

Disclaimer: I forgot to do this last time. Sorry, I'm new at this. I don't own Gossip Girl or any of the characters, storylines, etc. If I did, there would be none of this Dair nonsense going on.

* * *

_She is yearning_

_For shelter and affection_

_That she never found at home_

_..._

_She is searching_

_For a hero to ride in_

_To ride in and save the day_

_..._

_And in walks her prince charming_

_And he knows just what to say_

_Momentary lapse of reason_

_And she gives herself away_

_..._

_Does anybody hear her?_

_Can anybody see?_

_Or does anybody even know she's going down today?_

Does Anybody Hear Her? - Casting Crowns

* * *

Louis smiled when he noticed Blair coming down the staircase.

"You look beautiful," he said as he brought her hand up to lips to press a gentle kiss there. Blair relaxed slightly. _Maybe tonight won't be so bad_, she thought. _He doesn't look angry_. Louis helped her into her coat, and then offered her his arm as they walked to the elevator. Once they were in his town car, he started asking about her day. He wanted to know about everything she had done and everyone she had seen. Blair was a little surprised at his interrogation, but she didn't want to upset him so she just answered his questions.

When the car stopped in front of the Roger Smith Hotel, where Louis was staying, Blair felt her stomach clench. She shot Louis a questioning look.

"I thought we were going to The Lion tonight."

"I thought it might be nice if we just stayed in instead. We can order room service and have a little privacy," responded Louis. His tone brooked no argument.

"Umm…sure, that sounds great," replied Blair shakily. She forced a smile onto her trembling lips. Louis escorted her into the building and held her hand all the way up to his room. Their conversation stayed on light, superficial topics all the way through dinner. Blair picked at her food nervously, not eating much. Louis didn't seem to notice.

When he had finished eating, Louis pushed his plate away and gave Blair a long, hard look. She shifted uncomfortably in her seat.

"So, how long did you date Cameron?" he asked.

"We went out a few times last year but I was never really interested in him," Blair replied.

"And why was that? Were you too busy fucking Chuck Bass?" Louis asked in a hard voice.

"What? No!" Blair shook her head emphatically. _How does he know about Chuck?_

"Don't lie to me, Blair! After Cameron mentioned him this morning, I decided to do a little research. Don't you think you should have told me about your relationship with the infamous Chuck Bass?" Louis stood up as he was saying this and walked over to where Blair was sitting at the other end of the table.

"Why would I?" cried Blair. "We broke up almost a year ago. I don't love him anymore. I'm engaged to you. I love you."

Louis grabbed her arm roughly and yanked her to a standing position. He dragged her behind him to the bedroom. Once there, he pushed her onto the bed.

"Stop lying to me!" he shouted and stalked away. In a rage, he picked up the vase of daisies sitting on the dresser and threw it into the wall. The vase shattered, sending daisies falling to the floor and water streaming down the wall.

Blair stood up on shaky legs. She had to calm him down before things got worse. As she walked up behind him, she met his angry gaze in the mirror hanging above the dresser.

"Louis, I'm not lying. I love you," she said softly. She reached her hand out tentatively to comfort him but before she could make contact he spun around and grabbing her upper arms, shoved her violently into the dresser. The edge pressed sharply into the soft skin at the small of her back and she let out a loud yelp of pain. Before she had time to recover, the air was knocked out of her as Louis drove his fist into her stomach. She doubled over, gasping for air, and sank to her knees. Before she could catch her breath, Blair was being dragged back to her feet by her hair. Once she was standing again, Louis' grip on her hair loosened and he brought his hand down to softly stroke her cheek.

"Baby, I'm so sorry. I love you. You know I love you. You just make me so mad sometimes. Why do you do that?"

"I…I'm sorry, Louis," choked out Blair.

"It's okay. I forgive you. But don't do it again," he added in a darker tone.

Blair nodded and Louis smiled at her. He pulled her towards him, gently this time, and kissed her softly. Blair just stood there, numb.

"Come on, baby. Kiss me back. Show me you love me," Louis urged.

Blair complied and opened her mouth to receive his tongue. He kissed her more forcefully, possessively as he backed her up towards the bed. He was pushing her dress up past her hips and she could feel his erection pressing into her stomach. Louis pushed her down onto the bed and then climbed on top of her. He yanked her underwear down her legs and then threw them across the room.

"I love you," he said as he pushed inside her. Blair was in a daze. She didn't even remember him taking off his pants. All she could see was that look in his eyes, right before he had hit her. He was groaning now, and covering her neck and chest with sloppy, wet kisses. He began whispering, "mine, mine, mine" as he pounded into her. He grunted when he came and she realized that he hadn't bothered to put on a condom. In that moment, she was so grateful that she had been on the Pill since she was sixteen. Louis kissed her lips one more time before rolling off of her.

"That was great, babe." Louis looked at her expectantly.

"Yeah, Louis, you were really good," Blair managed to choke out.

"I have an early meeting tomorrow and you know I don't like to share my bed."

"Right. I'll see you tomorrow night?" Blair asked, relieved that he didn't want her to spend the night.

"Yeah, sure. Turn the light off on your way out," he replied, effectively dismissing her.

Blair got up and straightened her dress and smoothed down her hair. She had no idea where her underwear had landed and she didn't want to spend any more time in that room looking for them, so she just hurried out to the living room after turning off the lights. She grabbed her coat and purse and headed down to the lobby. She hailed a cab for herself and headed home.

When Blair got back to her penthouse, it was a little after midnight. Dorota had already gone home for the night and she had no clue where Serena was. Blair went straight to the kitchen, where the refrigerator was beckoning her. Upon opening it, she discovered half of a chocolate cake. _Perfect_. She scarfed it down within minutes. The cake was followed by a large block of cheddar cheese, a third of a loaf of French bread, some leftover Chinese food, and three large sugar cookies.

When she felt like she couldn't fit one more mouthful of food into her stomach, Blair made her way up to her bathroom. She took off all of her clothes and stared at herself in the mirror for the second time that day. There were dark purple fingerprints wrapped around her upper arms. There was bruising at the base of her spine from the sharp edge of the dresser. A large circular bruise was forming under her ribs on her left side. She had bite marks on her neck and chest as well as bruises on her hips and inner thighs from their lovemaking.

Not able to wait any longer, Blair took the ring off her left hand and placed it carefully on the counter before settling on her knees in front of the toilet. She shoved two fingers down her throat until she felt the acid rise up. She heaved into the toilet until she felt completely empty. She brushed her teeth and took a scalding hot shower. Before leaving the bathroom, Blair slipped the ring back in her finger. She put on pajamas and crawled into bed. Only then did she let the tears come.

* * *

Serena woke with a start to the sound of glass breaking and a muttered, "Shit!" She sat up and looking around, realized that she had fallen asleep on the couch at her mother's apartment again. She got up and walked to the kitchen where she found the source of the noise. Dan was kneeling on the floor picking up shards of glass. He looked up as she came closer.

"Oh, shit. Serena, don't come in here. You've got bare feet."

She watched from the doorway in silence as he cleaned up all the glass. When he was finally done, Dan stood up and faced her.

"What are you doing here? What time is it?" she asked with a yawn.

"Oh…umm…I came to see my dad, but I don't think he's up yet. It's only 8:30."

"8:30? Ugh!" Serena groaned.

"I'm so sorry, Serena. I was trying to be quiet, but…" Dan trailed off, embarrassed.

Serena laughed. "Dan, it's fine. Don't worry about it."

"Well, since you're awake…do you want a bagel? I stopped on the way over here."

Serena smiled. "I'd love one."

As they ate breakfast, the conversation flowed easily. They laughed and teased each other comfortably. At 9:15, Dan stood up to leave.

"Wait, Dan, I thought you wanted to talk to Rufus."

Dan looked down at his feet.

"Well, actually, I wanted to see you."

"Oh," murmured Serena in surprise. All of a sudden, Dan seemed to gain courage from somewhere. He pulled her to her feet and looked deep into her eyes.

"Serena, I'm still in love with you."

His declaration took Serena by surprise. A flurry of emotions came to life. Dan had been around a lot lately. He was being very supportive and comforting through the whole trial process. She had to admit, her heart warmed a little at his words, but mostly she was just confused.

"But, Dan, I thought you like Blair now."

"What? Why would you think that?"

"Because you slept with her," replied Serena bluntly. She had never confronted Blair about this; she figured it was a one-time thing since she was engaged to Louis now. But Dan and Blair had been seen together since then on more than one occasion.

"What? No, I didn't!" exclaimed Dan.

"Dan, Chuck and I saw you that night. Remember?"

Realization suddenly dawned on Dan. The night he had made out with Blair, he had run into Chuck and Serena as he was leaving. He had left quickly with no explanation because they were the two people that he did _not_ want to see that night. And now, Serena thought he was in love with Blair. Great.

"Serena, I can explain. Blair and I didn't have sex that night."

Serena just looked at him skeptically, so he rushed to explain what had really happened.

"We kissed. That's all. We were both lonely and we had kind of become friends. We just wanted to see if we felt anything more."

"And?"

"And we didn't. We both realized that we felt something so much stronger for other people. Blair was still in love with Chuck and I…I was still in love with you."

"Dan, I just don't think I can be in a relationship right now. This whole thing with my mom is taking up most of my time and attention. I barely even have time for school anymore."

"I know, Serena. I understand. But I'll be here for you, every step of the way." Dan stepped forward and kissed her softly. Serena leaned into him, reveling in his touch and the feel of his lips against hers.

"We'll take it slow," he promised. "And now I really do have to leave. I have class." He kissed her gently on the forehead and left her feeling confused but better than she had in weeks. Then, realizing something, she went to search for her phone. She had to call Chuck.

* * *

The fifth time his phone rang, Chuck opened his eyes. He reached for his phone on the bedside table. Seeing it was Serena, he answered with a gruff, "What?"

"Chuck," she cried. I've been trying to call you for the last hour. I have to tell you something important."

"Then spit it out," Chuck interrupted her grumpily.

Ignoring his rude words, Serena launched into the story of how Blair and Dan didn't actually sleep together. Chuck felt a weight lift from his chest as he listened to her. But then he remembered that it didn't matter.

"This doesn't change anything, Serena. She's engaged to that damn prince now."

"Chuck, it does change things. Just go talk to her. She might still have feelings for you."

"I won't do that to her, Serena. I've broken her heart too many times. She deserves to be happy," he said sadly.

"Chuck, I don't think she's as happy as she looks. She was acting weird at lunch yesterday. Just talk to her. She'll be at the benefit tonight."

"Excuse me, for not taking your advice, Sis, but the last stable relationship you had was with Dan Humphrey," Chuck replied and hung up the phone.

Chuck refused to go to the benefit tonight and be forced to watch Blair and Louis, laughing and holding hands. It hurt too much. _Maybe Serena's right,_ whispered a voice in the back of his mind. _Maybe there is a chance_. No. She's happy now. He wouldn't interfere with her life anymore. But it would be so good to see her. And it would be good publicity for Bass Industries for Chuck to be seen at the benefit. Maybe he would go. But he wouldn't talk to her.

* * *

A/N: Thanks for reading! I promise next chapter there will be some Chair action. Please review. It only takes a minute and it makes me super happy!


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Hey everyone! Here's Chapter 3! I'm so sorry it's taken me two weeks. I feel incredibly guilty. When I posted the first two chapters I was on spring break so I had a lot of time on my hands. Now I'm back at school and my grades need to come first. I would love to be able to read and write Chuck and Blair fanfictions all day but I don't particularly want to be living with my parents when I'm 30. I'll try to put up a new chapter every week, but I'm not making any promises. However, I do intend to finish this story, no matter how long it takes me.

I saw The Pretty Reckless last week! They were amazing! For those of you who don't know, Taylor Momsen (aka Jenny Humphrey) is the lead singer! Her voice is amazing! I don't understand how such a deep and gravelly voice can come from such a small person. Their album Light Me Up is now on iTunes so everyone should go check it out. Now, I know that there are A LOT of people out there who hate Jenny. However, I'm not one of them. I'll admit, I was extremely angry with her towards the end of Season 3 when she basically ruined every relationship on the show (Chuck and Blair, Serena and Nate, Dan and Vanessa, she even tried to mess up Lily and Rufus), but I was most angry about Chuck and Blair. He was gonna propose! Gah! But I've forgiven Jenny and I don't blame her anymore. As Chuck says in 4x06, "It was no one's fault. It was fate, tragedy." They were both sad and lonely and there was scotch involved. Not a good mix. Plus, if Chuck and Blair hadn't broken up we never would have gotten the amazing piano scene from 4x07. I have faith in Chuck and Blair; not even the Humphreys can keep them apart. I don't know if Jenny will ever make an appearance in this story. As of right now, I just don't have a storyline for her character, but I'm not against putting her in if one comes up.

Thanks so much to **tiff xoxo**, **QueenBee10**, **TriGemini**, **LY**, **ilovecujo1993**, **Emma**, **Rose**, and **Sophie** for your reviews! You guys are awesome! Reviews really are motivating and inspiring so please take a minute out of your busy lives to tell me what you think.

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Gossip Girl. If I did, there wouldn't be any frustratingly long hiatuses.

* * *

_You turned away _

_when I looked you in the eye_

_And hesitated when_

_I asked if you were alright_

_..._

_Seems like you're fighting_

_For your life, but why, oh why?_

_..._

_Wide awake in the middle _

_of your nightmare_

_You saw it comin',_

_but it hit you out of nowhere_

_..._

_And there's always scars_

_When you fall back far..._

Get Back Up - Toby Mac

* * *

For the first time in weeks, Serena was actually looking forward to something. She hadn't had much to be excited about since her mother had turned herself in, but she was actually happy to be attending the benefit tonight. She was on her way to the penthouse; she and Blair had made plans to get ready together, just like in high school. Serena was determined to find out what was going on with Blair. She could tell that something wasn't quite right. More and more frequently, she would find Blair staring off into space, lost in her thoughts. Blair didn't daydream. She schemed, she made plans, she developed strategies, but she didn't daydream.

When Serena got to the penthouse, she barged into Blair's room without knocking. To her surprise, Blair was already dressed. Even her hair and makeup was done.

"Blair, why are you already dressed? We were gonna get ready together," Serena whined.

Blair turned and Serena noticed an odd look flash quickly across Blair's perfect features. It was a mixture of guilt and embarrassment and Serena didn't quite understand it.

"Oh S, I'm so sorry. I must have forgotten," Blair apologized.

"Serena gave her a suspicious look. Blair never forgot things, unless it was on purpose. But she shrugged it off. Blair would tell her what was going on when she was ready to.

"That's okay, B. You can just help me. You look beautiful!" And she did. Blair looked like her usual gorgeous self. She was wearing a very simple, albeit very expensive, burgundy-colored gown. It was floor-length with long sleeves and the neckline came up to her collarbone. The material clung to Blair's body like a second skin, making the dress sexy in spite of the very small amount of skin it showed off.

Blair just gave Serena an odd smile. "Come on S, let's get you ready."

Soon, the girls were laughing and gossiping and Serena had forgotten all about her worries over Blair's strange behavior.

* * *

Chuck arrived at the benefit an hour late and already slightly tipsy, as usual. No one even looked up when he came in. He went straight to the bar and ordered a scotch. Before he could even take a drink, Serena had sidled up next to him.

"She's here," Serena said.

"I know," Chuck snapped. How could Serena think that he didn't know that? He could feel her presence as soon as he walked through the door. He had been fighting the pull to go over to her since he had gotten there. She was like gravity, pulling him in.

"Have you talked to her?" Serena asked.

"No, and I don't intend to."

"Chuck, why not?"

"Because," he whispered, "it hurts too much." He looked over to Serena, who was looking back at him with a sad, sympathetic expression on her face. Chuck finished off his scotch and walked away in search of someone to talk to that wouldn't look at him like that.

No sooner had he gotten away from Serena's sad blue eyes, than he ran into another person he didn't want to talk to, Dan Humphrey.

"Hey, Chuck, do you mind if I talk to you for a minute?" Dan asked.

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I do mind," Chuck snapped and began to walk away. He was stopped by Dan's hand on his arm. Chuck shot Dan a menacing glare, but he didn't seem to get the message.

"Wait, Chuck, I just want to apologize for what happened that night with Blair. We didn't have sex and I didn't realize anyone thought we had," Dan explained.

"What…couldn't get it up, Humphrey?" Chuck sneered.

"No…uh…that's never been a problem. We kissed and I realized I was still in love with Serena and Blair realized she was still in love with you."

"Well, she sure has a funny way of showing it," Chuck said sarcastically.

"Chuck, she was hurt from what happened with Raina. You were too concerned about Bass Industries to pay any attention to her. Then Louis came. And he paid attention to her and gave her gifts and took her out. He's Nate all over again. He's just a part of the fairytale she thinks she wants. I mean, he's a prince. How could she say no? But we all know you two are meant to be. So fight for her. If you really love her, fight for her." Dan finished his speech and walked away, probably in search of Serena.

Chuck decided he needed some air and headed out to the balcony. Despite the days getting warmer, the night air was cold and the balcony was deserted except for one person. As soon as he stepped through the door, she turned around, as if she could sense him there. As Chuck looked at Blair, he felt a heavy ache in his chest and a sudden, but powerful urge to touch her.

"Blair…" he breathed softly. He began to move towards her before he was even aware he was doing it. She didn't say anything until he was close enough to touch her.

"Chuck, what are you doing here?" she asked in a hard voice.

"I needed some air," he answered. Blair didn't reply immediately and Chuck took the opportunity to study her. She looked stunning and Chuck's heart was beating hard inside his chest. But as he looked closer, he realized that something was wrong. Blair's dress, which was in a deep shade of red that was the exact color of his bowtie, clung to her curves invitingly. It didn't show as much skin as Chuck would've liked, but it looked sexy nonetheless. However, Chuck couldn't help but to notice that Blair looked much too thin. She had definitely lost weight since the last time he had seen her. Chuck dragged his eyes up to her face and was immediately alarmed by what he saw. Beneath her carefully applied makeup, Chuck could see dark purple circles under her eyes. Her deep brown eyes, which he had seen sparkle and shine so beautifully, now looked dull, flat, and lifeless. Her posture was all wrong as well. Blair normally stood straight and tall and confident. She was sure of herself and her position as queen. But now, her shoulders were slumped and she seemed to be curled in on herself.

"Blair," he said softly, "what's wrong?" He reached out to touch her and she flinched away from him with fear and panic in her eyes. Chuck dropped his hand quickly, alarmed.

"Blair?" As he said her name, she seemed to recover. She straightened up and an impassive mask came over her face.

"I'm fine," she said in a tone that left no room for argument. Chuck was about to question her further because clearly she was not fine, when another voice called out Blair's name.

Chuck watched in surprise and alarm as Blair changed right before his eyes. Her whole body stiffened and then shrunk away from the direction of the voice. All the color drained from her cheeks and her eyes widened in panic. Bair stepped back from Chuck, putting more space between them. As the man who called out Blair's name walked over to them, she pasted a smile on her face that Chuck instantly recognized as fake.

"Blair! There you are! I've been looking for you," the man said in an annoyed voice. He glanced at Chuck and then turned back to Blair. "And who is he?" he asked in a distinctly French accent. Chuck realized that this must be Louis. He had never seen him up close before. Louis was attractive enough but he had an arrogant expression on his face. Chuck decided that he needed to put Louis in his place.

Chuck gave Louis his most condescending look and with as much disdain as he could muster, said, "I'm Chuck Bass."

Chuck watched Louis' face for the look of scared recognition and awe that graced the faces of so many people when they realized who he was. Out of the corner of his eye, Chuck noticed Blair's lips turn up in a small smirk. It quickly vanished when Louis turned back to Blair with an angry scowl.

"We're leaving," Louis announced with a growl. He grabbed Blair's arm roughly and began dragging her back towards the door and away from Chuck. Chuck looked at Blair in shock. The Blair he knew would never take this crap from anyone, even a prince. But here she was, following behind Louis obediently. Chuck didn't know what was going on, but he didn't like it.

"Blair, I-" he began but Blair interrupted him.

"Chuck, I'm fine." She shot him a look, clearly pleading with him to let it go. So he did. He watched as Blair followed Louis back to the party, his hand still wrapped tightly around her wrist. Watching Blair walk away with another man was torture. He hadn't even gotten a chance to talk to her. But now that he had seen her again, Chuck knew that he could no longer fool himself. He was still in love with Blair. And there was definitely something wrong. She was completely different. He decided that he would go first thing in the morning to see her and he wouldn't leave until she talked to him.

* * *

Louis was snoring in Blair's ear. Chuck never snored. Louis' arm was uncomfortably tight around her waist, making it difficult to breathe. Chuck never held her too tight. She had always wanted to be as close to him as possible. She pressed her face into pillows that didn't smell like Chuck to stifle her sobs.

Blair's whole body ached. Louis had been particularly rough that night. She didn't need to look in a mirror to know that the bruises were already forming. She could feel them surfacing on her skin. She thought back to the nightmare that had occurred when they got back from the benefit.

_As soon as they were through the door of Louis' hotel room, he pushed Blair roughly. She stumbled on her high heels and long dress and fell to the floor. As Louis stalked over to her, she scrambled backwards until her back hit the wall and she could go no further. She looked up into dark eyes filled with anger. Louis pulled his leg back and kicked her hard in the thigh. She yelped and curled into a ball._

"_What do you think you were doing? Talking to Chuck? Were you making plans to betray me again? Answer me!" Louis yelled._

"_No, Louis. We weren't even talking. And I've never cheated on you. I would never do that. I love you," Blair cried, uncurling herself._

"_You…lying…cheating…slut!" Louis punctuated each word with a swift and painful kick to the stomach. Blair curled up again in an attempt to protect herself. When he finally stopped, she sat up and looked at him pleadingly. _

"_Louis, please stop, you're hurting me." Blair's words only seemed to make him angrier. He grabbed her by the upper arms and dragged her to her feet. He hauled her to the bedroom and threw her roughly onto the bed._

"_If you really love me, you'll show me," Louis said menacingly. With that he began taking off his pants. Blair looked at him in horror. Louis didn't say anything more; he just pulled Blair off the bed and onto her knees in front of him. Blair's eyes filled with tears when she realized what she was about to do. She was completely and utterly humiliated but she didn't dare to refuse. She had only ever done this for one person. It was another first that Chuck held the rights to. But she had wanted to do it for him. She had loved him._

_Louis grabbed the back of Blair's head and pushed her towards him. She started to take him in her mouth slowly, but Louis used his hold on her head for leverage and thrust all the way in, hitting the back of her throat. She gagged, but Louis took no notice. He just pulled out and thrust back in. Blair's tears mixed with the taste of Louis' skin, reminding her again of the humiliation she was enduring. Louis thrust into her mouth on last time and came with a grunt. Blair forced herself to swallow all of the salty liquid filling her mouth. Louis let go of her head and Blair crumpled to the ground. Louis looked down at her in disgust and left the room. A minute later, Blair heard the sounds of the TV._

Now, she was trying to fall asleep next to Louis. He had demanded that she stay the night, even though he made it clear that she was inconveniencing him. Blair closed her eyes, but instead of darkness, she saw Chuck's face.

When she had seen him at the benefit she had panicked, afraid that Louis would see them, but even more afraid that Chuck would see her. He knew her better than anyone and she couldn't hide things from him like she could Serena or Nate. She was engaged to Louis but she could still feel the electricity that pulsed between them when he stepped onto the balcony. And he had looked at her in that way no one else ever did, especially Louis. She fell asleep with her heart aching even more than her battered body.

* * *

A/N: Thanks for reading! Hope you liked it! Please review! I wish for reviews almost as much as I wish I had Taylor's legs!


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Hello ladies (and gentlemen?),

Gah! I know it's been almost three weeks since I updated and I'm so sorry. I feel really guilty. I've been sick and then I had computer problems (be careful what you attempt to download people). I have three days off this week and then next week I a have a little break for Easter so hopefully I'll be able to get another chapter up quickly.

SPOILER ALERT! So apparently, Clemence Poesy (Eva) and Katie Cassidy (Juliet) are coming back to GG for the season finale. Maybe Chuck and Blair will team up to take Juliet down and get back together in the process. Or maybe Louis and Eva will both go back to France together...where they belong...and stay there...away from Chuck and Blair. If you can confirm this or if you just wanna let me know your ideas for what's gonna happen in the finale, leave me a review. =]

Thanks to **tiff xoxo**,** maggymoo21**, **lisottina81**, **LeftWriter224**, **xoxogg4lifexoxo**, **TriGemini**, **ilovecujo1993**, **QueenBee10**, **Emma**, **Danny Santinelli**, **chairlovforever**,** UnwrittenGirl**, **Elaine**, and **jamieerin** for your reviews! You guys are awesome!

Disclaimer: I don't own Gossip Girl or any of the characters, storylines, etc. If I did, Ed Westwick would be shirtless 90% of the time. (Who cares about his tattoos? He is hottt! Can't the writers think up a storyline where Chuck gets tattoos? Or just cover them up with makeup.)

* * *

_Get up, get out, get away from these liars_

_'Cause they don't get your soul or your fire_

_Take my hand, knot your fingers through mine_

_And we'll walk from this dark room for the last time_

_..._

_Every minute from this minute now_

_We can do what we like anywhere_

_I want so much to open your eyes_

_'Cause I need you to look into mine_

Open Your Eyes - Snow Patrol

* * *

Blair woke up to Louis gently shaking her.

"Blair, wake up. I got breakfast for us."

Blair opened her eyes and looked up into Louis' handsome face. He was smiling down at her. This was such a change from the Louis she had fallen asleep next to last night. This was the Louis she had fallen in love with and gotten engaged to. She sat up slowly, feeling a dull pain in her stomach. Louis handed her a hot cup of coffee.

"Thanks," Blair smiled back at him. "What time is it?"

Louis glanced at his watch. "It's almost seven." At the look on Blair's face, he smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry, Blair. I didn't want to wake you but I have a meeting at 8:00. I need to leave here by 7:30."

Blair noticed that Louis was already showered and dressed. Then she looked down at herself. She was still wearing the dress from the benefit last night. It was a wrinkled mess but she didn't have any clothes here so she was going to have to wear it home. She sighed in dismay.

"What's wrong, Blair?" Louis asked in a concerned voice.

"Oh, it's not important. I just don't have any clothes to wear home."

"Just wear what you have on now. You look beautiful. But I can drop you off at your penthouse on the way to my meeting if you don't want to take a cab," Louis offered.

"That would be great. Thank you, Louis," Blair replied with another tentative smile.

Forty-five minutes later, Louis kissed Blair goodbye and climbed back into the car. She watched as it sped off before going inside and riding the elevator up to her penthouse. She went straight to her room without even a word to Dorota.

Blair went right to her bathroom where she peeled off her dress, stepped out of her heels and removed all her jewelry, including her engagement ring. She proceeded with her almost daily ritual of examining her body in the mirror. She noticed bruising on her stomach, her outer thigh on her left leg, and around her wrists and forearms. She knew she didn't have anything in her stomach to throw up and she didn't want to go downstairs to the kitchen and risk facing Dorota. She decided to skip that step and brushed her teeth instead. Using a lot of toothpaste, she brushed fiercely and for a long time, determined to get the taste of Louis out of her mouth. The Louis she had woken up to this morning was so very different from the Louis who had forced her to do such humiliating things last night.

Still mulling over Louis' split personality, Blair jumped in the shower and continued to cleanse herself of the events of the night before. When her skin was wrinkled all over, Blair finally stepped out of the shower. She wrapped herself in a fluffy robe and went in search of comfortable clothes. From the furthest depths of her closet she unearthed the outfit she saved just for times like this. After getting dressed, she ran a brush through her wet hair and crawled into bed and curled up under the covers. She was exhausted and fell immediately into a deep but fitful sleep.

* * *

Chuck stepped out of the elevator at Blair's penthouse and was immediately met with a worried Dorota.

"Mister Chuck, something wrong with Miss Blair. She come home early this morning, go straight to bed. She still asleep."

"What?" Chuck exclaimed. It was almost noon. Blair was always up by 8:00 and she wasn't one to take naps either. If Chuck had any doubts that something was going on with Blair, he didn't anymore. Chuck was halfway up the stairs when Dorota called out, "Please, Mister Chuck, help her. She listen to you."

Chuck didn't bother with a response; he just flew up the rest of the stairs. He pushed the door to Blair's room open quietly, stepped inside, and shut it softly behind him. Dorota was right; Blair was still in bed. She was lying on her back in the middle of her bed. It looked as though she had started out under the covers but had kicked them into a tangled heap at the foot of the bed. Chuck stepped closer to the bed and was astonished at what he saw. Blair wore a pair of navy blue, silky shorts and a large Yale sweatshirt. Judging by the size and worn out state of the sweatshirt, Chuck assumed that it used to be Blair's father's. Chuck also noticed that Blair's dark hair was spread across the pillows in a wild, tangled mess. It looked like she had gone to sleep while it was still wet.

Chuck didn't know what to do. He just kept staring. He had never seen Blair in this state of disarray before. Even during her darkest times, Blair was dressed immaculately, her hair and makeup done to perfection. Chuck had never seen Blair wear a sweatshirt. He didn't even know she owned one. He had never seen her sleep in anything like that either. When they had been together, she usually went to bed in fancy lingerie. However, more often than not, Chuck had taken great pleasure in ripping that same lingerie off her luscious body and they would wake up the next morning wearing nothing at all.

Chuck was startled out of his thoughts by Blair tossing around fitfully and rolling onto her side so she was facing him. Chuck walked right up to her bed and stared down into her beautiful face. His heart clenched when he noticed her tear-stained cheeks. Blair started tossing again and whimpered softly in her sleep. Chuck couldn't bear to watch her suffer through a nightmare, so he did the only thing he could think of. He stepped out of his shoes and stripped off his jacket and bowtie. He climbed carefully onto the bed and lay down behind Blair. Gently, so as not to wake her, he wrapped an arm around her waist. She immediately relaxed back into him and stopped tossing. She sighed and said softly, "Chuck."

Chuck's heart skipped a beat. He was sure she had woken up. But Blair just snuggled back against him and let out a small sigh. Chuck relaxed again and buried his face into the back of her neck, smelling her sweet scent. Soon he was asleep as well.

* * *

Dorota crept stealthily up the stairs, making as little noise as possible. Mister Chuck had been in Miss Blair's room for hours and she was dying to know what was happening. She hoped Mister Chuck would find out what was going on and help Miss Blair.

Dorota knew something was wrong with Miss Blair, but she couldn't figure out what. Miss Blair was being even more private than usual. Dorota didn't know exactly what the problem was, but she did know that Miss Blair wasn't happy. She was pretending to be happy, and she was managing to fool most people. But not Dorota. Dorota had been taking care of Miss Blair since she was a baby and she could always tell when something wasn't right.

Dorota did know one thing though. Miss Blair had never been happier than she had when she and Mister Chuck were together. Dorota knew that Mister Chuck had deeply hurt Miss Blair but he was still good for her. When Miss Blair was with Mister Chuck, she was different. She almost glowed with happiness. And when Miss Blair was happy, everyone else was happy too.

Dorota stopped outside the door to Miss Blair's bedroom. She put her ear up against the smooth wood of the door and listened carefully. She heard nothing but the sound of soft breathing. As quietly as she could, Dorota eased open the door just enough to poke her head in. The sight before her almost brought tears to her eyes.

Mister Chuck and Miss Blair were curled up on Miss Blair's bed together. Although Miss Blair's bed was very large and there was plenty of room, there was not an inch of space between them. Miss Blair was curled on her side facing Mister Chuck. Her knee was hooked over his hip and his arm was curled tightly around her waist. Her hands were trapped between them, clutching the front of his shirt. Their faces were so close they were almost touching.

Dorota just watched them for a minute. This was the most relaxed she had seen Miss Blair in days. Finally, Dorota pulled her head back and shut the door quietly with a huge smile on her face.

* * *

A/N: OK, so I know that was pretty short, but I wanted to get you guys a new chapter and that was also a convenient stopping point. Please review and let me know what you thought of it!


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Hello, everyone!

I hope you all had a wonderful Gossip Girl Monday. I was so excited all week that I wrote extra fast and I have a new chapter for you only a week after the posting the last one.

SPOILER ALERT! So...what did you guys think of last night's episode? I knew that it wouldn't be that easy, but I still got really excited when Blair said she wanted to be with Chuck. And then my hopes were crushed. So did anyone else think that Chuck's photo by himself was a huge opportunity that was just wasted? I mean they could have done a lot with that, like showing who his true family is...Blair. He looked so sad and alone. It broke my heart. And what's up with Charlie? Why did she leave school? And why wouldn't Aunt Carol tell Lily?

I just have to comment on the promo. Truly awesome! I have watched it so many times, it's disgusting. I love Chuck's scruffiness when he's talking to Nate! I'm not too sure about Blair's curls though. I kind of thought she looked like a poodle. But maybe I'll think differently when I see her for more than 2 seconds at a time and I can get a good look.

You guys were so awesome with your reviews last chapter! Thank you so much to **LeftWriter224**, **QueenBee10**, **lisottina81**, **TriGemini**, **Chemromance98**, **UnwrittenGirl**,** Anon**, **pty**, **Emma**, **Curious Blonde**, **Temp02**,** Kumiko212**, and **shopno**. You guys are awesome and I love hearing from you!

And a special shoutout goes to **QueenBee10**, **TriGemini**, and **lisottina81** because they have reviewed every chapter. I love you guys! Thanks for taking a time out of your busy lives to tell me what you think of my little story.

Disclaimer: I don't own Gossip Girl. If I did, the show would be called _Newlyweds: Chuck and Blair _and the other characters would only make brief appearances between the endless scenes of hot Chair sex and witty one-liners.

* * *

_There's a fire starting in my heart_

_Reaching a fever pitch and it's _

_Bringing me out the dark_

_..._

_The scars of your love remind me of us_

_They keep me thinking that we almost had it all_

_The scars of your love they leave me breathless_

_I can't help feeling_

_..._

_We could have had it all_

_Rolling in the deep_

_You had my heart inside of your hand_

_And you played it to the beat_

Rolling in the Deep - Adele

* * *

Blair woke up surrounded by heat. She felt warm and safe and happy. She snuggled even closer to the source of all the heat and inhaled. Peppermint…cigars…scotch…

Blair's eyes snapped open. As she took in the face only inches from her own, she realized she should have known who it was just from the heat. She had only ever felt that kind of heat with one person. She watched in alarm as that person's eyes fluttered open while his arms pulled her closer.

At the feel of his arms tightening around her, Blair's heart gave a little stutter. She quickly squashed the warm feeling that came over her. Blair knew he probably didn't even realize that he was doing it. It was only a habit, a reflex. When they were together, she had loved that moment right before he woke up. He had always pulled her closer to him (quite a feat, as most of the time she was already wrapped tightly around him) as if making sure that she would be the first thing he saw when he opened his eyes. But they weren't together anymore. She was with Louis now. She loved Louis. She was marrying Louis.

All thoughts fled from her mind when he finally opened his eyes. She found herself staring deep into his warm, chocolate eyes. His hand came up and caressed the nape of her neck. She felt heat shoot down her spine and she shivered against him. The corners of his mouth pulled up into a smirk.

"Well, Waldorf, I know I'm hard to resist, but couldn't you at least have woken me up. It's always more fun when both parties are conscious. Believe me."

At his lewd words, Blair snapped out of the daze she was in and realized that she had yet to untangle herself from him. She was suddenly hyperaware of his body; the way his hand was now tangled in the curls at the base of her neck, the way his hips were pressed up against hers, the way his heart was beating so steadily beneath her palm.

"Chuck!" she snapped. She attempted to sit up, but Chuck's arms were wrapped so tightly around her that she barely moved.

"Chuck!" she shrieked again. "Let me go!" She used both hands to push against his chest until he finally let go of her waist and allowed her to escape from his arms. She scooted away from him and sat up. His eyes traveled over her body in a way that brought a blush to her cheeks and warmth to the pit of her stomach.

"Nice outfit, Waldorf," he said with another smirk.

"Chuck! What are you doing here? And why are you in my bed?" Blair questioned him. She decided to ignore his comment on her outfit. She was absolutely mortified that he was seeing her in such a state, but she refused to give him any more ammunition by admitting that.

"I came to talk to you but if you have any better ideas, I'm open to suggestions," he drawled.

"Here's a suggestion: get out!"

"My, my…looks like someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed."

"I didn't wake up on the wrong side; I woke up with the wrong person. Now get out!" Blair yelled.

"Really? Is that why you were trying to molest me?" Ignoring her demands for him to leave, Chuck just sat there with that stupid smirk on his face. Blair wanted to punch him.

"Fine. I'll leave." Blair scooted to the edge of the bed, preparing to get up and get dressed to go see Louis. But before she could, Chuck grabbed her wrist.

"Blair, what the hell happened to your leg?"

Blair looked down to see that the shorts had ridden up her thigh and the bruise that Louis had given her was exposed. The discoloration on her pale skin was very apparent, even in the waning late afternoon light.

"Oh…umm…nothing," she stuttered, yanking the material down to cover the black-and-blue.

"It doesn't look like nothing, Blair. What happened?"

"It is nothing! I tripped…and fell over a chair." Blair said the first thing that came to mind. She winced when she realized what a dumb excuse it was.

Chuck looked at her suspiciously. She stared back at him, keeping her expression smooth and even. She couldn't give him any cause to doubt her. She would go live in Brooklyn before she would let him know what was really going on.

"Blair Waldorf doesn't trip," Chuck contradicted.

"Well…I…had been drinking," Blair responded. "And why do you even care?" She glared at him.

"I care," Chuck said so softly it was almost a whisper. "You know I do."

Blair's chest constricted. She hated feeling like this, so confused about her relationship with Chuck.

"Really? You didn't seem to care when you sold me to your uncle for a hotel, or when you slept with Jenny Humphrey." And then Blair remembered she wasn't confused. She didn't have a relationship with Chuck. She had one with Louis. And she had to make that clear to Chuck.

"It doesn't matter anymore, Chuck. I'm marrying Louis."

Chuck's eyes snapped down to glare at the diamond on her left hand. She ran her thumb over the hard edges self-consciously. Chuck shifted his gaze back to hers and she thought she would cry from the overwhelming sadness in his eyes. But then his stare hardened into one of determination.

"We're inevitable, Waldorf. This thing with Louis won't last. You know it as well as I do."

"You're wrong. I love Louis and he loves me," Blair retorted angrily. She jumped off the bed and strode quickly over to the door and yanked it open. "Now get out!"

Chuck just slid slowly to the edge of the bed and put his shoes back on. He stood up and went to look in Blair's mirror to put his bowtie on. As he slipped his jacket on, Blair had to suppress a sudden urge to rip it back off.

Chuck stalked over to her with a predatory look in his eye. For each step he took towards her, she took one back. She hadn't even realized she was doing it until her back was pressed up against the wall and there was nowhere left to run. With two more steps, Chuck was close enough to touch.

"How can you say you love him? You've only been with him for a month. It took you over a year to say it to me."

"Yeah…and then you threw it back in my face."

"Blair-"

"No, Chuck. We're done. You've broken my heart too many times. I'm marrying Louis," Blair said with finality.

Chuck's expression darkened considerably at the mention of Blair's impending marriage. He took another step closer to her and raising his arms, placed his hands on either side of her head, effectively trapping her. Blair's heart was beating so hard inside her chest that she was afraid he would hear it.

"Louis will never be able to completely satisfy you. We both know I'm the only one who can do that." Chuck leaned in until his lips were almost brushing hers. "When you're ready to admit that, you know where to find me." He stepped back and ran a hand through his hair. With one last smirk, he was out the door.

Blair let out the breath she had been holding and slid down the wall until she was sitting on the floor. She put her head in her hands and just sat there for a minute, trying to calm her racing pulse. Once again, Chuck Bass had left her mind and her heart in a muddled mess. He was acting like- No, it didn't matter how he was acting. She was with Louis now. Sure, she may not feel the same all-consuming passion for Louis that she did for Chuck, but that kind of thing would fizzle out eventually, right? Louis was everything she'd always dreamed of. He was handsome, smart, polite, rich, and to top it all off, he was a prince. Louis was the perfect catch. Even her mother approved.

Blair raised her head and glanced at her clock. It was almost five. She had to hurry to get ready for her date with Louis. Her hair was a mess and she had less than two hours to fix it.

"Dorota," Blair called frantically. She heard quick footsteps and then Dorota burst through the door.

"Yes, Miss Blair?"

"Dorota, I need to get ready for my date with Louis. We have to hurry. I have to leave in an hour and a half. Louis doesn't like it when I'm late."

"Yes, Miss Blair." As Dorota started to brush the tangles out of her hair, Blair thought back to the first and last time she had been late to meet Louis.

_Blair rushed into the restaurant and when she spotted Louis, hurried over to his table. She plopped down in the chair across from him, a little out of breath. "Louis, I'm so sorry I'm late. I was out shopping with Serena and we just lost track of the time," Blair apologized. She felt really bad. She was thirty minutes late. She shouldn't have let Serena drag her into Barney's; she always spent more time in there than she meant to._

_Louis just nodded at her, his eyes cold. He motioned the waiter over to the table and proceeded to order. Blair quickly looked over the menu, her cheeks burning with shame. _

_The dinner was tense, to say the least. Blair tried to engage Louis in conversation, but he said very little. She finally gave up and resorted to pushing her uneaten food around her plate. _

_When they were finally in the car, Blair tried again. She reached out and touched his arm._

_"Louis, I really am sorr-"_

_She stopped abruptly when she felt a stinging pain across her cheek and she was knocked into the door, the handle digging harshly into her side. She looked up in shock to see Louis' hand raised, ready to strike again. Instead, he grabbed her chin roughly and forced her to look at him. _

_"Don't ever make me wait again," Louis said in a threatening voice._

_Blair nodded and Louis let go of her chin and turned to stare out the window. Blair brought her hand up to her throbbing cheek as tears filled eyes. They rode the rest of the way to Blair's penthouse in silence. When the car finally stopped, Blair got out without even a backward glance. She rushed straight to her bathroom where she threw up everything in her stomach without even needing the help of her fingers. When she was done, she sat next to the toilet and cried until her eyes ran dry. She knew she would have to break up with Louis. But he had been so perfect. Blair fell asleep that night with a heavy heart and an aching cheek._

Blair had been determined to break up with him, but the next day Louis had come to her with roses in his arms, remorse in his eyes, and a tearful apology on his lips. He promised her it would never happen again. And she believed him.

The next few days had been perfect, straight out of a fairytale, and when he brought her his grandmother's ring, she didn't hesitate to say yes. It was only later that night that she realized that the ring she would wear for the rest of her life wasn't the one she had been dreaming of since she first saw it in Paris and she cried herself to sleep.

Blair knew that it wasn't Louis' fault that bruises littered her pale skin. It was her own. If she didn't make him so angry, everything would be fine. She just needed to be better. And she would be, no matter what.

* * *

A/N: Blair's excuse for her bruise actually happened to me in real life. It hurt like hell and left a very nasty looking black-and-blue on my thigh. So I hope this kind of cleared up Blair's thoughts a little. I wanted to give you guys a peek inside her head, which is why this chapter is all in her POV. I hope you enjoyed it and please review!


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Hey guys! I am so sorry it has taken me this long to get another chapter posted. I've had this one done for weeks and I am just now getting around to uploading it. I'm sorry. I feel so guilty for making you wait so long. All I can really say is most of the time real life trumps fanfiction.

So I know this is super late, but how 'bout that finale, right? The Chair scenes were so beautiful! Chuck's face in the last one when Blair leaves with Louis is so heartbreaking. I absolutely adore Georgina! She is so funny! And I totally did not see the Charlie/Ivy thing coming! I can't wait to find out what that's all about! As for the pregnancy test, I kind of hope that it's not Blair's. I know a lot of people are really excited by the idea of a Baby Bass, but I just don't think they're ready. I want them to get back together because they realize they love each and can't live without each other. I don't want them to be forced into a relationship because of a mistake that they both felt terrible about. That being said, I don't think it's Serena's because as far as I know she hasn't slept with anyone lately. I'm actually hoping that it is Eleanor's. I think it would be so adorable to see Eleanor and Cyrus with a baby. Plus, that would make for some great Blair temper tantrums!

Thanks to **tiff xoxo**,** LeftWriter224**, **Emma**, **lisottina81**, **QueenBee10**, **ilovecujo1993**, **shopno**, **Curious Blonde**, **Temp02**, **TriGemini**, **HighOnLife**, **aalso**, **Elaine**, **jamieerin**, and **H** for your lovely reviews!

Disclaimer: I don't own Gossip Girl. If I did, I wouldn't torture fans by making them wait for months to find out who's gonna have a baby.

* * *

_Do you understand who I am?_

_Do you wanna know?_

_Can you really see through me?_

_Now, I'm about to go._

_..._

_Just tonight, __I won't leave._

_I'll lie and you'll believe_

_Just tonight, I will see_

_That it's all because of me._

_..._

_Just tonight, I will stay_

_And we'll throw it all away_

_When the light hits your eyes_

_It's telling me I'm right_

_And if I, I am through_

_It's all because of you_

_Just tonight_

Just Tonight - The Pretty Reckless

* * *

When Chuck got back to his suite at the Palace that evening, he was surprised to see Serena waiting for him. She looked angry.

"Sis, to what do I owe the pleasure of your company?" he drawled.

Serena scowled at him. "Blair just called me. Chuck, what were you thinking? She's engaged to Louis. You can't just crawl into bed with her."

"She didn't seem to mind so much…until she woke up."

"Chuck, you can't do this to her again."

"You were the one who told me to talk to her! And I tried," Chuck responded angrily.

"Well, what did you find out?" Serena asked.

"Not much," Chuck answered dejectedly. "But I think you're right for once. Something is definitely wrong."

"Well, how do we find out what it is? You know Blair. She's not gonna tell us."

"I'll call Mike," Chuck answered, pulling out his phone.

"What? Chuck, no! You can't have her followed by your private investigator. If she ever found out, she'd never forgive you," Serena cried, alarmed.

"Well, do you have a better plan? I'm leaving for Beijing on Tuesday and I won't be back for at least three weeks."

"What? Why are you going to Beijing? Does Blair know?" Serena questioned him.

"It's a business trip. I'm looking to expand my empire. And Blair doesn't know and she probably won't care."

"Chuck, you should tell her. And don't call Mike. Nate and I will figure something out."

Chuck scoffed. "You and Nathaniel?"

Serena glared at him. "Yes, Chuck. We'll take care of it. Just don't have her trailed. Please."

"Fine, fine. Just don't let her get any worse. Make sure she eats. I'll try to talk to her again when I get back."

"Alright. Nate and I will take of her. See you in a few weeks."

Chuck just watched as the elevator doors closed behind Serena, leaving him alone with his thoughts.

* * *

It had now been two days since Blair had woken up with Chuck in her bed and she was still thinking about him. She couldn't stop. She was furious with him for being an arrogant Basstard and scared that he would figure out her secret, but then she would remember the way his warm body felt when it was pressed up against hers and she would feel something similar to longing.

Meanwhile, Louis had been treating her like a princess. He was still feeling guilty over the last incident. He was showering her with flowers and gifts. This only served to cause her more confusion. When he acted the way he was now, it was easy to forget about the bad things.

And to top it all off, Eleanor was due to arrive any minute. She was flying in from Paris because she wanted to be involved in the wedding planning. Blair was dreading her arrival. She knew as soon as Eleanor got here, the criticizing would begin.

* * *

Chuck had just finished packing and was sitting down with a glass of scotch when he heard a frantic pounding on his door. He glanced at his watch; it was almost midnight. As soon as he reached the door, He knew who it was. He could feel the familiar electricity even through the solid wood. Hesitating, he opened the door slowly.

And there she was. Blair was standing before him, looking slightly disheveled. He still had to catch his breath as he took in her beautiful face.

"Blair," he breathed out softly.

She gave him a tight, fake smile and pushed past him into the suite. She went straight to the bar and immediately poured herself a drink. Chuck shut the door that he was still holding open and walked cautiously over to where she was now perched on a bar stool.

"Blair, what are you doing here?" Chuck asked.

Instead of answering, Blair just looked at him questioningly. "Why weren't you at the Empire? I went there first…but you weren't there." Blair was slurring her words slightly and Chuck realized that she was drunk. He wasn't really sure what to do. He had only seen Blair drunk a handful of times. He settled on just answering her question.

"I don't live there anymore. I stay here now."

Blair looked confused. "Why? You love the Empire."

Chuck grimaced. "I just…I just can't. Too many bad memories." He looked away from her, ashamed and full of regret.

"I forgave you," Blair said softly.

"You shouldn't have," Chuck replied, still not looking at her.

Blair placed her hand on his cheek and turned his face so was staring into her dark eyes. "Chuck, what you did to me was cruel and manipulative. You treated me like I was your property and not your girlfriend. It hurt more than I could ever have imagined and I hated you for a long time for doing that to me. But I forgave you and I moved on. You need to do the same."

Chuck looked at Blair and felt his heart breaking…again. He knew she probably wouldn't even remember this conversation in the morning but right now she was here, with him instead of with Louis. That had to mean something.

Blair poured herself another drink and gulped it down.

"Hey, Blair, slow down. What's going on? Why did you come here?" Chuck asked.

"My mother arrived today. Did you know that?"

When Chuck just shook his head, Blair continued. "She wanted to come to help plan the wedding. She's only been here for half a day and already I feel like…" Blair stopped speaking as a single tear rolled down her cheek. She wiped it away angrily. "I just needed a drink."

Chuck nodded, understanding immediately how she felt, even though she hadn't said it. He knew all too well what it was like to have a critical and disapproving parent. He poured Blair another drink and then poured himself one as well.

They sat silently for a while. Chuck was happy to just be with Blair. He couldn't stop staring at her. She looked so beautiful. Her eye makeup was smudged and her hair was falling out of what had started out as a fairly elaborate bun, but Chuck loved that she felt safe enough and comfortable enough with him to let him see her like that.

All of the sudden, Blair stood up and stumbled away from the bar, breaking Chuck out of reverie.

"Waldorf, where are you going?" Chuck called after her. Blair just kept walking unsteadily away from him. Chuck was sure that she was going to fall any second. Those heels that she was wearing looked hard to walk in even if you were sober.

When she made it to his bedroom, Blair turned back around and looked at him. "Aren't you coming, Bass?" she called playfully. She shot him a "come hither" smile and disappeared into his bedroom.

Chuck sat motionless for a few minutes, unsure of what to do. His brain and his heart were arguing with other very outspoken parts of his anatomy. On the one hand, he wanted her so badly he could barely think. On the other hand, she was drunk and upset…and engaged. He didn't want to take advantage of her or do something that would make her hate him in the morning.

He got up and walked cautiously over to his bedroom, not sure what he would find. What he did find filled him with a strange mixture of relief and disappointment. Blair was curled up on his bed, still clothed, holding his DVD of _Breakfast at Tiffany's_.

She held it out to him and looked up at him with her big, brown eyes. "Please?" she wheedled.

As Chuck took the DVD from her, their fingers brushed, sending sparks of electricity shooting up his arm. Chuck stepped back quickly and started the movie. When Audrey appeared on the screen, he turned back to Blair, unsure of where to sit. Blair inched over to what Chuck still thought of as her side of the bed and looked up at him. Chuck suddenly felt as if all of the air had been sucked out of the room. Moving slowly, he climbed onto the bed and settled himself down next to the love of his life. Blair scooted closer to him until he could feel her soft curves pressed against his side and rested her head on his shoulder. Chuck was shocked. He knew Blair would never be acting like this if she was sober, but he couldn't help the feeling of joy that came over him.

"Thank you," Blair whispered softly.

Chuck looked down at her and she turned her head and looked up at him. She was staring at his mouth and Chuck noticed her eyes darken slightly right before she leaned in and pressed her soft lips to his. Chuck was surprised but he immediately reached up and tangled his fingers in her soft hair. Blair let out a soft moan and Chuck could feel the vibrations in his lips. The kiss deepened until Blair finally broke away, gasping for air.

"Chuck…I…" she began.

"Blair, it's ok," Chuck reassured her.

"No…I…I'm sorry. Can we just watch the movie?" Blair pleaded.

"Of course," Chuck answered, a little relieved. He didn't want Blair to regret anything and he knew she would if things progressed any further. So he lay down next to her and just luxuriated in the feel of her soft skin and the smell of her brown curls.

* * *

_Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep._

Chuck opened his eyes reluctantly at the sound of his alarm clock. Groaning, he rolled over and shut it off. He looked over to Blair, ready to apologize for the rude wake up. Expecting to look into her beautiful face, he felt his heart drop into his stomach when all he saw was an empty spot where she should have been. He noticed a small slip of paper on the pillow. Chuck felt a surge of hope as he picked it up. Maybe she just went to get coffee?

The piece of paper only held one sentence: _Last night didn't happen_.

Chuck was overwhelmed by a rush of emotions. Anger. Sadness. Betrayal. When Blair had come to him last night, he had thought that maybe it was because, deep down, she was still in love with him. Finding out that she wasn't was too painful to think about.

Chuck got out of bed and headed to the shower. He had to get ready. He had a plane to catch.

* * *

A/N: Once again, sorry for the long wait. I hope you liked it! Please leave a review and let me know what you thought about it. Hopefully, I'll have another chapter up soon.


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: So...I haven't dropped off the face of the earth. I'm still writing this story. I know it's been ages since my last update but after the season 4 finale I just lost all motivation. I was so happy that whole episode until the last 5 minutes.

So...Monday's episode. I am actually still pretty upset about it. I honestly did not think that Blair would actually get married to Louis. It wasn't even an option in my mind. She didn't even have to end up running off with Chuck (although that's what I was hoping for); she just couldn't marry Louis. The only thing that made me more mad than Blair actually marrying Louis is that everyone actually checked their phones during the ceremony. I mean, who does that? During a wedding? A royal wedding? In a church? That was just too unrealistic for me. Even if they weren't turned off, most people would've silenced them. There might have been a couple of people that didn't. But half of the guests would not have interrupted a royal wedding to check a text, even if it was from Gossip Girl. Speaking of Gossip Girl...Georgina? I'm not really sure how I feel about this turn of events. I love Georgina but she was gone for a lot of time so I'm assuming that she at least has a helper, if she is even the real Gossip Girl. Chuck and Eleanor stole the show. I loved them together! Blair is still being a complete idiot with her pact. And when did Louis turn that evil? He's been scheming for a while now, but nothing of that magnitude. So I'll definitely be watching Monday to see what happens.

Thank you to all my readers and reviewers. I hope you guys can forgive me for making you wait so long. This chapter is extra long to make up for it.

Disclaimer: I don't own Gossip Girl. If I did, Chuck would've punched Louis in the face by now.

* * *

_You are the hole in my head_  
_ You are the space in my bed_  
_ You are the silence in between_  
_ What I thought and what I said_

_..._  
_ You are the night-time fear_  
_ You are the morning when it's clear_  
_ When it's over your start_

_..._  
_ You're my head_  
_ You're my heart_

_..._  
_No light, no light in your bright blue eyes_  
_ I never knew daylight could be so violent_  
_ A revelation in the light of day_  
_ ..._  
_ You can't choose what stays and what fades away_  
_ And I'd do anything to make you stay_

_..._  
_No light, no light_  
_ No light_

No Light, No Light - Florence + the Machine_  
_

* * *

Blair woke up Monday morning to the sound of her mother's disapproving voice.

"Blair, wake up. It's already 8:00. You don't have time to spend all day in bed. I made an appointment for us at Bergdorf's for 11:00. And the florist is coming over this afternoon to talk about what we want in the way of bouquets and centerpieces."

Blair sat up and looked at her mother in disbelief. She couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"I already have a wedding dress, Mother. You know that."  
"Yes, well, I'd like to look at a few more," Eleanor said in a tone that told Blair there was to be no more argument.

"Fine," Blair sighed. "But I have a fitting for _my_ dress tomorrow at 1:00."

"We'll see," Eleanor muttered under her breath. "Now hurry up. We have a busy day ahead of us and you're wasting time." She gave Blair one last disapproving look and strode from the room.

Blair sighed and threw off the covers. She called for Dorota, who hurried in immediately.

"Dorota, my mother is insisting that we go shopping for wedding dresses. I need you to draw me a bath while I pick out something appropriate to wear."

"Yes, Miss Blair," Dorota gave her a sympathetic look and disappeared into the bathroom.

Blair turned to her closet to find something that her mother would approve of. This was a difficult task, but after some searching and more than a few things being thrown away out of frustration and anger, Blair came upon the perfect dress. It was a sunny yellow wrap dress with ¾ length sleeves that covered the fading remains of two bruises on her left arm. The hem fell just above her knees and the neckline was modestly cut. But more than that, the dress was an Eleanor Waldorf original. How could her mother criticize a dress of her own making?

Blair left the dress on her bed and hurried to take her bath before the water got cold. As she relaxed in the warm water, Blair couldn't help but think back to last Monday night when she had gone to see Chuck. Her mother's constant disapproval had been more than she could take that night and she knew Chuck would be the only one who could truly understand. When she didn't find him at the Empire, she had a few drinks at the hotel's bar while she thought about where he could be. When she finally thought of the Palace, she was more than a little tipsy. Blair didn't remember much of their conversation, but she did remember the kiss that she gave him. She knew she shouldn't have kissed him, but she couldn't bring herself to fully regret it. She had planned to just watch _Breakfast at Tiffany's_, but he understood her so perfectly and his body was so warm against hers and no one had ever looked at her the way he did. When Blair finally came to her senses and pulled away she was more confused than ever. How could one kiss with Chuck feel better and more intimate than the sex she had with Louis? Looking back, Blair knew she probably should have left then, but she never felt safer or more protected than when she was in Chuck's arms, so she allowed herself to fall asleep. When she woke up early the next morning, the alcohol-induced haze had worn off and she could see clearly how wrong it was that she was sleeping in another man's arms. Terrified that Louis would find out, she left a note demanding that Chuck forget all about the previous night.

Blair hadn't heard from Chuck in a week so she figured he was still mad at her. She didn't understand why she still cared about that. She shouldn't.

Blair snapped out of her thoughts when Dorota opened the door and poked her head in.  
"Miss Blair? Breakfast is ready."

"Thank you, Dorota. I'll be down in a minute."

As soon as Dorota closed the door, Blair got out of the tub and began to get ready for what was sure to be a long day.

* * *

Serena and Nate rode the elevator together in a tense silence. Both were lost in their own thoughts, contemplating what they were about to do and if it was the right thing.

Nate looked over at Serena nervously. "Are you sure we should do this? If Blair finds out she'll be so mad."

Serena sighed. "What else can we do?"

"I don't know. Maybe we should call Chuck."

"No way! I told him we could handle this. And what can he do anyway? He's on the other side of the world."

"Yeah, but you know he would fly home as soon as he knew Blair needed him."

"Look Nate, let's just try this first. Louis is her fiancé. He'll help us." Serena replied confidently as the elevator came to a stop.

* * *

Blair sighed in frustration as her mother shot down another centerpiece option that she liked. It had been like that all day, starting with the wedding dresses and then moving onto the flowers. Blair would pick out a few things she liked and her mother would hardly look at them before giving a definitive "no."

It had been the worst with the wedding dresses. They had left Bergdorf's with no dress after almost three hours of searching. Blair had tried on dress after dress only to have her mother find something to criticize in each one. Just when Blair thought she would scream from frustration, her mother remembered that the florist was coming and they left.

And now her mother was doing the exact same thing with the flowers. Blair wanted peonies, but Eleanor wouldn't hear of it. Blair tuned out the voices of her mother and the florist and let her thoughts drift. Her mind wandered to a happier time when she had come home one day, the summer after graduation, and found her room filled with peonies. The sweet smell of the flowers had been overwhelming and had lingered in her room long after the flowers were gone. When she had gone to see Chuck later that night, he had buried his face into her neck and inhaled, causing her to shiver a little in pleasure. He had wrapped her even tighter in his arms and whispered into her ear, "You smell like my favorite flower," before nuzzling his face into her neck again. That had been one of the most romantic things anyone had ever done for her and Blair found herself wishing that Louis would do something spontaneous and romantic like it.

Blair's thoughts were interrupted by her mother's voice. "Blair, pay attention. Don't you think this centerpiece is perfect?"

Blair looked at the flowers that she would never have picked out for herself. Without waiting for a response, Eleanor turned back to the florist. "That's the one," she said.

Blair zoned out again as her mother started talking to the florist about the pricing of the flowers.

* * *

Later that night, Blair was getting ready for bed when she heard the elevator _ding_, signaling someone's arrival. She knew it wouldn't be her mother. Eleanor had gone out to dinner with some old friends and wouldn't be back until much later. Blair was grateful to have the apartment to herself for the night and had sent Dorota home early. Annoyed that someone was interrupting her quiet evening, she made her way to the stairs.

Louis was standing near the bottom of the stairs with an expression on his face that she hadn't seen in a week. He hadn't hit her since the benefit and she was starting to relax in his presence a little. But tonight, the look in his eyes made her want to turn around and lock herself in her room. Ignoring her instinct, Blair walked slowly down the stairs and stopped in front of Louis.

"Where's your mother?" he asked sharply.

A voice in the back of her head told her to lie, but Louis was her fiancé and she loved him so Blair answered truthfully. "She went out to dinner," she said softly.

Almost before she finished speaking, Louis' hand collided with the side of her face with such force that she was knocked off her feet. Her lower back landed hard on the bottom step of the marble staircase and Blair's vision grew blurry as she fought to stay conscious through the pain. When her vision returned to normal, she looked up to see Louis standing over her, his fists clenched at his sides and his face red with anger. She had never seen him look so terrifying.

"You stupid bitch! What have you been telling people?" Louis roared.

Blair didn't know if it was because of the pain, but she was having trouble understanding what Louis was saying. "What are you talking about?" she asked meekly.

"What am I talking about? I'm talking about your stupid little blonde friends coming to me today because they were 'worried about you'," he yelled, distorting the last words. "Serena and Nate."

"Louis, I didn't tell them anything. I didn't ask them to do that. Please believe me," Blair begged.

Louis crouched down so his face was only a few inches from hers. Blair could smell the whiskey on his breath. "Why should I believe you?" he asked. "All you ever do is lie to me."

"No, Louis, I would never lie to you. I love you," Blair cried.

"Shut up!" Louis yelled one more time. He stood up straight and then headed to the elevator. Before she even realized what she was doing, Blair had stood up and run after him.

"Louis, wait," she cried desperately. She grabbed his arm in an attempt to stop him from leaving but he shook her off. When she reached for him a second time he turned around and shoved her away from him. Blair stumbled backwards and fell to the ground. She cried out at the sharp pain in her left wrist when she put out her hand to break her fall. Blair cradled her wrist tenderly in her lap and looked up at Louis. He was glaring down at her in disgust.

"You deserve that," Louis said with disdain. "If I hear that you've been telling anyone else what goes on in our private lives, you'll be sorry."

"Louis, I…" Blair whimpered, tears streaming down her cheeks. Before she could finish her sentence, though, Louis was in the elevator, the doors closing behind him.

Blair sat on the floor for a minute and just cried. The pain in her wrist snapped her out of her melancholy and she realized she would need to get to a hospital. From the way it was hurting, Blair figured her wrist was broken.

Now she had the problem of figuring out who to call. She refused to call Serena or Nate. They had betrayed her and it was all their fault that she was even in this mess. She couldn't call her mother and Dorota deserved to be at home with her family. That left only one person: Dan Humphrey.

* * *

When Dan arrived at the Waldorf's apartment, it was nearly 10 p.m. He didn't know why Blair had called him or what was so urgent, but when he stepped off the elevator he was alarmed at what he saw.

Blair was standing before him, cradling her left wrist in her arms. Her face was red and there were tears in her eyes.

"Blair, what's the matter? What happened?"

"Oh, it's nothing. I just fell down the stairs and I think my wrist is broken." Blair's voice was unsteady and she didn't look him in the eye as she talked.

Dan didn't know what was going on but he figured he should take her to a hospital.

"Alright. Come on, let's get you to the hospital."

Blair just nodded and followed him into the elevator.

* * *

The next day Blair woke up with a splitting headache and an aching wrist. She sat up carefully, wincing as she recalled the events of last night. It had been the first time she had had to go to the hospital after one of Louis' rages.

Blair didn't really even understand what had brought it about. She had been the perfect girlfriend during the last week and everything between her and Louis had been great. From what he had said last night, Blair gathered that Serena and Nate had gone to see him. Why would they do that? Blair certainly hadn't asked them to or even said anything that might lead them to believe that something was wrong.

Blair continued to seethe about Nate and Serena as she prepared for the day. When she went downstairs for breakfast, she found her mother already seated at the table, which was piled with assorted fruits and breakfast pastries as if ten people were eating instead of two. When Blair sat down across from her, Eleanor glanced at the ugly wrappings on Blair's wrist.

"How's your arm?" she asked brusquely.

"It's fine," Blair answered, moving her arm under the table, out of sight. Her mother had been pretty upset last night when she first saw the splint Blair had to wear. She only calmed down when Blair told her that it was only a minor sprain and would be healed well before the wedding.

"It won't get in the way of your dress fitting today, will it?" Eleanor asked.

"No, mother. My dress is strapless," Blair replied in what she hoped was a soothing tone. Clearly, Eleanor was not completely convinced that Blair's sprained wrist wouldn't somehow ruin the wedding.

"Strapless? Hmm…" Eleanor pursed her lips and looked displeased.

Blair sighed. She was in for another long day of criticism.

* * *

When Blair and Eleanor arrived at the Vera Wang flagship store, Blair was shocked to see Serena waiting outside. When she saw Blair, Serena bounced over and gave her a hug. When Blair just stood there stiffly and didn't respond to Serena's embrace, she pulled back.

"Blair, what's wrong?" she asked, concerned.

"Serena, what are you doing here?" Blair snapped.

Serena looked confused for a moment. "You invited me to come last week."

"Well, now I'm uninviting you," Blair replied. "You can leave now. I don't want you here."

"Wait. Blair, what's wrong? Why are you mad at me?" Serena asked. Her eyes raked over her friend worriedly and stopped on her arm. "Oh my god! What happened to your arm? Are you okay?"

"Why don't you go ask Louis?" Blair replied meanly. She pushed past Serena and into the store.

Blair joined her mother on one of the white leather couches and waited for her dress to be brought out.

"What did Serena want?" Eleanor asked.

"Nothing," Blair replied stiffly.

"Well, she should be here. She's your maid-of-honor."

"I can manage just fine without her," Blair said, ending the discussion as an attendant walked over to them.

"Miss Waldorf, we have your dress," she said. "If you would like to follow me to the private fitting room we have for you, we can get started."

Blair stood and followed the attendant to a spacious room with a pedestal situated in front of a large three-sided mirror. The attendant helped her into the dress and then Blair stepped up onto the pedestal and gazed at herself in the mirror. The attendant began to fuss around Blair, taking measurements and pulling the dress this way and that. Finally, she stepped away from Blair with a frustrated sigh and a small frown on her face.

"Miss Waldorf, you can stop dieting now. You look beautiful and the dress would fit perfectly if you would stop losing weight. We've had to take it in at every fitting. You only have one more fitting before the wedding. Try not to lose any more weight."

Blair glared at the woman. "I'd like to show my mother now," she said snippily.

When Blair stepped out of the fitting room, the first thing she noticed was her former best friend sitting on the couch in her mother's place. Blair ignored her and stepped up on the pedestal in front of the mirrors. Serena came and stood beside her and made eye contact in the mirror.

"Blair, you look beautiful," Serena praised.

Blair ignored the compliment. "What are you doing back here? I thought I told you to leave. And where is my mother?"

"Your mom is on the phone," Serena answered, gesturing behind her. Blair looked where she was pointing and, sure enough, Eleanor was on her cell phone in the middle of what looked to be a very important conversation. "And I know you told me to leave, but I came back. I'm your maid-of-honor and your best friend. I'm supposed to be with you at things like this."

"You're not my best friend. You're a traitor. Why would you go to Louis instead of talking to me? Do you know how embarrassed I was when Louis mentioned it?"

"Blair, we only went to Louis because we're worried about you."

"I've told you. I'm fine. I don't need-"

"No, Blair, you're not fine. You're acting like you are, but you're not. You're too thin and you look tired all the time. You've been missing classes and you don't go out anymore. What's wrong? Please talk to me," Serena pleaded.

Blair was about to reply when Eleanor walked up to them.

"Serena, darling! How wonderful to see you! You look great!" Eleanor gushed.

"Thanks, Mrs. Waldorf. It's good to see you too. Doesn't Blair look gorgeous?"  
Eleanor turned to study Blair and her dress. Blair waited with a small but hopeful smile on her face, which quickly fell away when Eleanor began to speak.

"Blair, honestly, what is wrong with you? The bow is far too big. And black? It's a wedding, not a funeral. There's too much tulle. And I'm not sure this dress is right for your body type. It doesn't seem to fit right."

Before she could go on, the attendant interrupted her. "Well, Mrs. Waldorf, the dress would fit, but your daughter has lost quite a bit of weight since the last fitting. We'll have to take the dress in again."

Blair could feel Serena's eyes burning into the back of her head, but she purposefully ignored it.

"Hmm…well, I think we should keep looking around," Eleanor said firmly. She looked over to Blair. "I have to go back to Paris for awhile. I'll look for more dresses while I'm there." She leaned in and gave Blair an air kiss on each cheek, before hastily exiting the store.

Blair turned to glare at Serena and then turned around and walked stiffly back to the dressing room. Serena waved the attendant off and hurried after Blair herself. When she reached the dressing room, she found Blair struggling to unfasten the long line of buttons at her back. Serena stepped behind her and took over. Blair stiffened but didn't say anything.

"B, I'm worried about you," Serena said softly. "You've lost a lot of weight."

"I'm fine. I just want to look good for the wedding."

"You do look good. And you will look beautiful on your wedding day, no matter what dress you wear or what you weigh. You don't need to starve yourself to-"

Blair cut her off. "Serena! I'm not starving myself. I'm fine. It's just the stress that's getting to me…" she trailed off when Serena gasped loudly behind her.

"Blair, what happened to your back?" she asked in alarm. She stepped back and let go of the dress, letting it pool at Blair's feet.

Blair cursed silently to herself, turning to examine the huge bruise on the small of her back. She had forgotten all about it. Overnight, it had transformed into a hideous patch of dark purple on her otherwise white skin. Serena reached and touched it gently, ignoring the way Blair flinched away.

"I fell down the stairs last night. Honestly, I forgot all about it. It doesn't even hurt," Blair lied.

"I thought you landed on your arm," Serena stated with suspicion. Seeing the confused look on Blair's face she continued. "Dan called me after I left earlier. He's worried about you too. Why didn't you call me last night? You know I would've been there in a heartbeat."

"I know. But I was mad at you. It was all your fault in the first place," Blair blurted out without thinking.

"Wait a minute. How was it my fault that you fell down the stairs?" Serena demanded indignantly.

Blair frantically searched her brain for an excuse. She hadn't meant to say that. "Umm…well…I fell because…I…was trying on your shoes. Yeah…they were too big for me and I tripped."

The story seemed to placate Serena. She let out a laugh. "I'm sorry, B. You know my shoes don't fit you. Why would you try to walk down the stairs in them?"

"I don't know," Blair sighed. "It was stupid."

"Come on," said Serena. "Get dressed. Let's go get coffee."

* * *

Chuck stared out of the window of his hotel room in Beijing. He was getting a little worried. He hadn't heard from Serena or Nate in a few days. He was hoping that was a good thing. They would've called him if something bad had happened.

Chuck was still mad at Blair. And confused by her. He had been stupid last week to think that she was picking him over Louis. She had been drunk. He should've known better.

Chuck's thoughts were interrupted by his phone buzzing in his pocket. He hoped it was a message from Serena or Nate. Instead, it was a Gossip Girl blast.

_**Spotted: Our favorite Queen B entering Vera Wang's flagship store on Madison Avenue, sporting a brand new accessory. What happened, B? Did you trip on your train? Here's hoping it doesn't happen at the wedding. But if it does, I'll be sure to get a picture. That's right, Upper East Siders. I'll be there, along with everybody who's anybody. You know you love me. XOXO, Gossip Girl.**_

Chuck stared at his phone in dismay. He leaves the country for one week and Blair breaks her arm? He read the blast one more time and then dialed Serena's number.

* * *

Serena and Blair were strolling around Central Park, coffees in hand, just talking. They hadn't had the opportunity to just hang out together for so long and it felt nice. Blair was still mad at Serena about telling Louis but she knew Serena was only trying to help. Serena didn't know what Louis had done to her. And Blair wasn't going to tell her.

They had been walking around for about 20 minutes when Serena's cell phone rang, interrupting their conversation about the latest UES gossip. Serena glanced at the caller I.D. and then pressed "ignore" quickly.

"Who was that?" Blair asked.

"Oh…just my mother," Serena answered. "I'm sure it's nothing." Serena had barely finished speaking when the phone rang again. Serena frowned at it.

"It's okay. You can answer. I don't mind. It must be important," Blair said.

Serena sighed and hit "ignore" again.

"No, it's fine. It can wait."

They started walking again and had barely gotten three feet when the phone rang again.

"Serena, just answer it," Blair said in exasperation. When Serena didn't move, Blair snatched the phone out of her hands. Before Serena realized what was happening, Blair had answered.

"Sorry, Lily," she said. "Serena seems to think that I will be greatly offended if she answers the phone in front of me."

"Blair?" asked a deep voice that was definitely did not belong to Lily.

"Chuck? I…I'm sorry. I thought it was Lily calling."

"Yeah, I figured that out all on my own, Waldorf," Chuck said sarcastically.

Serena watched as Blair's cheeks turned bright red. She was gonna be in so much trouble when Blair got off the phone.

"Why are you calling Serena so frantically, Bass?" Blair asked coolly.

"None of your business. I was calling Serena, not you," Chuck answered defensively.

"Fine, but you know I'll find out anyway," Blair said smugly.

"Just let me talk to Serena."

"Fine," Blair huffed. She held the phone out to Serena.

Serena took it and sighed. "What is it, Chuck?"

Blair watched with undisguised interest.

"Yes…I won't…yeah, I'll call you later. Okay. Bye." Serena snapped her phone shut.

"Well, what did he want?" Blair asked immediately.

"Oh, he just wants me to ask Lily to send him some stuff about Bass Industries that he forgot," Serena replied hesitantly.

"Stuff? What kind of stuff?" Blair asked with curiosity. "Wait…what do you mean send?"

Serena looked confused. "Didn't he tell you?"

"Tell me what?"

"He's in China…Beijing," she said softly.

"What?" Blair was shocked. When had he left? And why hadn't he told her he was going? And when was he coming back? Before she could voice any of the questions running through her head, Serena spoke.

"He left last Tuesday morning. He's supposed to be there for three weeks for business. I thought he would tell you."

Blair looked away. She knew why he hadn't told her.

"Serena, I just remembered. I've got something to do. I'll see you later." Without waiting for a reply she hurried off, leaving Serena staring after her.

* * *

Chuck woke up to a buzzing coming from the sheets next to him. Groaning, he looked at the caller I.D. When he recognized the name, he answered immediately.

"Serena, what took you so long?" he growled.

"Sorry, but it's only been an hour. I do have a life, you know."

"Whatever. Now tell me what happened to Blair. I saw the Gossip Girl post. I know she broke her arm."

"Shouldn't you have been asleep when that post came out? What time is it over there anyway?" Serena asked.

"It's about 5 a.m. And I don't sleep well in foreign countries."

Serena scoffed. "You mean you don't sleep well when you're not in the same bed as Blair."

Chuck didn't bother to deny it. It was true. He hadn't gotten a good night's sleep all week.

"What happened to her? Is she okay?" he asked desperately.

"She's fine. You talked to her an hour ago. She tripped and fell down her stairs and sprained her wrist. She's got a pretty huge bruise on the small of her back too, although I'm not sure how that got there since she landed on her arm."

"Where is she now?" Chuck demanded.

"I don't know. She left rather abruptly when I told her you were in China. Why didn't you tell her, Chuck? I told you she would care."

Chuck didn't say anything so Serena went on. "Chuck, I think you should fight for her. I don't think Louis is right for her. She was the happiest I'd ever seen her when she was with you. And she's different now…and not in a good way. She seems sad. Her wedding dress has a black bow on it. Like she's in mourning or something. It's not at all what she always talked about her wedding dress looking like. And she's not even having peonies in her bouquet. It's just all wrong, Chuck." Serena finished with a big sigh.

"She doesn't want me anymore, Serena," Chuck said bitterly.

"How will you know if you haven't tried?" Serena asked.

"I have tried," Chuck said quietly.

"Try harder," Serena urged. "This is Blair Waldorf we're talking about. You guys are supposed to be inevitable."

Chuck couldn't stand talking about this any longer. It hurt too much. "Serena, I gotta go. Can you handle her for another two weeks? Let me know if you notice anything unusual. And don't let her break any more bones."

"Okay," said Serena reluctantly. "But just think about what I said. Don't give up on her."

"I'll talk to you soon. Bye." Chuck hung up and stared at the phone before pulling the covers up to his chin and trying to get a few more hours of sleep.

* * *

A/N: Thanks for reading. I hope you enjoyed it. The inspiration behind Blair's yellow dress is the Tibi Belted Wool Wrap Dress. Her wedding dress is from the Vera Wang Fall 2010 Collection. Weirdly enough, it's called "Eleanor". I picked it out long before I knew Vera Wang was gonna design the dress in the show. I did like Blair's dress but I thought her hair was all wrong. It should have been up in a soft romantic updo. Please review and let me know what you thought of this chapter. Hopefully I'll have another chapter out soon. I promise I won't make you wait almost a year again.


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